Contentions

If you were uncertain about just how inept a press secretary Robert Gibbs is, watch this clip. It shows the White House media corps (to its credit) pressing Gibbs to explain how he can blame Republicans for holding middle-class tax relief “hostage” when: (a) no bill has been introduced; and (b) House Democrats have enough votes to pass legislation without any GOP support.

The problem Gibbs faces, of course, is widespread Democratic defections from Obama and Pelosi’s agenda, not GOP intransigence.

Mr. Gibbs is not only making a transparently partisan and indefensible argument; he does so with his typical condescension and eye-rolling exasperation, as if it is painful for him to engage with lesser beings. This attitude is prevalent in the Obama White House – and for many people, including I suspect the media corps, it’s all getting rather tiresome.

It helps a bit if a person’s arrogance is at least tied to real merit and achievement. In this case, we have vanity and incompetence melding together.